How I did it revisited

Prof. Bob Khanna – How I did it revisited

Professor Bob Khanna is renowned as a cosmetic and reconstructive Dental Surgeon and facial aesthetics expert. In 1997 he became one of the first dental surgeons in the world to venture into facial aesthetic procedures utilising Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Fillers. Since then he has become an internationally celebrated lecturer, trainer and key opinion leader in aesthetic medicine, and has trained over 15,000 doctors, dentists and plastic surgeons in non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedures and has pioneered many techniques that are in current use.

In 2008, to add to his existing clinics in Ascot and London, Professor Khanna created his “ultimate clinic” in Reading – a 6,000 square foot state-of-the-art centre of excellence comprising of  5 surgeries, 3 therapy rooms, 4 consultation rooms, private offices, two walk-in rain showers, a gym and a superb 100-seater international lecture theatre. Here, Professor Khanna describes how he first brought his dream to life, and how his career has progressed even further since he first opened the doors to ‘DrBK’.

Since my earliest days starting out in facial aesthetics I’d always dreamed of setting up my very own “centre for excellence”. I didn’t just want to create an average place of work – I wanted to build something much bigger and better than that. I am sure that every clinician has aspirations of this at some stage in their career.

Being in the Aesthetics industry meant that my ultimate clinic had to be aesthetic as well as functional. Modern, cutting edge facilities, and exceptional design were pre-requisites to DrBK. I wanted it to be a place where my team would enjoy working, and where patients would come to expect the highest standard of care available. 

My other requirement was that I needed my  “ultimate clinic” to serve as a hub for my international training institute which I had established in 1998. For this to happen it was imperative that DrBK housed a state-of-the-art lecture theatre, supported by private offices and meeting rooms. In this sense then, not only would the DrBK project create the ultimate clinic for patients, but it would also create an ultimate centre for teaching facial aesthetics and cosmetic and surgical dentistry. 

As you can imagine, achieving all this was no mean feat! Though I had found the perfect location, there was an awful lot of work involved in the planning and construction of the site, including all the necessary fixtures and fittings, alongside the equipment and the interior design.

Having had previous experience working with Clark Dental I knew straight away that they were the right people to help me achieve my dream. Though naturally a project the scale of DrBK required excellent planning and investigation, the Clark Dental team were more than up to the task. Having considered our ideas and assessed our needs, the team at Clark created an interactive 3D layout of the clinic interior, which was a great asset in helping me visualising what DrBK could look like. From the early computer generated designs we were able to make changes according to space and my own personal preferences. Despite the fact that I am an incredibly fussy customer, nothing was ever too much trouble to change, and in the end I have to say I am absolutely delighted with the final result!

Since opening DrBK in 2009 we’ve literally been inundated with patients seeking treatment with us. I don’t think I could ever have imagined just how successful DrBK would be. In dentistry and facial aesthetics quality is of paramount importance and I think patients appreciate the quality of the “product” we provide. From the start I envisaged a 6 star environment that had the “wow” factor, and I have to say I am confident we’ve achieved it here. 

Alongside myself, our clinical team also includes Dr Kim Taylor. Kim is an excellent clinician and rising star, and has undertaken extensive postgraduate training in cosmetic dentistry and was one of the first dentists in the world to undertake an MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry at King’s College London. She has successfully completed all levels of training in facial aesthetics at my institute and has joined my faculty as a valued instructor.
In terms of my day-to-day working life, I really can’t overstate just how pleasant it is to come to work in the morning!  Like many clinicians I spend most of my time in my place of work, so for me it’s great that I can work in an environment that is both relaxing and functional.

For the Dr Bob Khanna Training Institute (DBKTI) having my own lecture theatre really is a dream come true. Everything is exactly where I want it and I don’t have to worry about a thing. The room incorporates state of the art audio-visual equipment that is completely interactive and linked in with each of our treatment zones. This means I can demonstrate procedures in real time, and talk freely and even answer questions from the lecture theatre while treating patients.

From the interactive auditorium, to the high-end surgeries, everything is geared towards a pleasant yet efficient working environment. All 14 computer work stations are networked to each other and connected to my clinics in Ascot and Harley Street so that all team members are able to access patient records in each destination and communicate seamlessly with one another.

With such an outstanding clinic and support team behind me, the DrBK project has enabled me to make further significant progress with my career. In 2009 I was voted UK Private Dentist of the Year by my peers, and was also appointed Lead Clinical Lecturer in Facial Aesthetics at the Royal College of Surgeons (London) FGDP. I was also invited to author the Facial aesthetics module for the Msc in Aesthetic Dentistry at Kings College London (KCL) in the same year.

As well as vastly expanding my consultancy work, I have also been featured on a number of cosmetic surgery related television documentaries. These have included Cosmetic Surgery Live (Channel 5), The Ruby Wax Show (BBC One) and Silicone Chicks (Discovery Health). I also assisted in the launch of Sky television’s award-winning ‘Nip-Tuck’ series, and have had a major contribution in ‘Plastic Surgery Laid Bare’ (Sky1).

Aside from my work as a clinician, my work as a lecturer has grown significantly over the last few years. The Dr Bob Khanna Training Institute (DBKTI) has gone from strength to strength and we offer a range of facial aesthetic courses aimed at all levels covering both Dermal Fillers and Botulinum Toxin treatment. We also provide a full online support and mentoring service and offer an innovative Team Program for non-clinical members of staff, with the aim of aiding them in implementation of facial aesthetics in their clinics. The DBKTI attracts clinicians from all over the world who are serious about providing the very best to their patients.

Of course this article would be incomplete if I didn’t mention IAAFA (International Academy of Advanced Facial Aesthetics). I created IAAFA as a non-profit organisation in 2007 to help harness the energy and passion of dentists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons and aesthetic doctors and nurses from all over the world. Membership has grown rapidly and we now offer a wide range of benefits to members to aid them in their professional development. The IAAFA conference held annually has established itself as a premier aesthetics event and is accompanied by the IAAFA charity ball raising thousands of pounds for ‘Make-A-Wish foundation’ helping children who are terminally ill. The IAAFA office is housed within DrBK.

While I am of course deeply proud of all of these achievements, one of the highlights of my career came in May 2012, when I was appointed Professor of Facial Aesthetics at the University of Seville, one of the oldest and most reputable Universities in Europe. For me, this is great honour, and is recognition of all the hard work I have put into developing facial aesthetics globally. 

Needless to say, the development of DrBK in Reading, and the DrBK “brand” has been crucial to my success over the last few years. By realising my dream for my “ultimate clinic” I have been able to attract a far wider range of patients, while at the same time, greatly increasing the amount of training courses I can offer at the DBKTI. 

Naturally, an awful lot of work goes on “behind the scenes” to keep the whole DrBK operation running. With so much technology in use on a daily basis, I am really grateful to Clark Dental for the exceptional level of service and support they continue to provide me.  Nothing is ever too much trouble for them, and they have been excellent in tutoring my team on how to use equipment. If ever I need anything, their helpful team are only a phone call away. In fact I’m so happy with the service, I recommend Clark Dental to all my colleagues without hesitation. My thanks go to Matt and Stuart in particular for their invaluable expertise and assistance in making my vision a reality.